New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-25
A CUNNING CONVICT.
HOW HE FORGED HIS WAY OUT OF AUBURN
PRISON.

rHr TRIBUNE few days ago published tho follow
ins dispatch from Indianapolis'
when District Attorney Sellers opened his mail last
n,eSt no was sstoundcd md communcatio,n,, re,
fred 10 hin. by the Presidents oaSross Criminal
who Ia! served three terms in prison for s9nnerd
fetne The petition bore the names or an .hs
MATES Court officials including the District Attorney
himself, besides those of William r. English. JSsepht
d Mcdonald and many othor OF the most pron ,d
stzens OF Indianapolis on investigation IL was founa
that al Inc signatures had been forged together With
letters making spsT Rss for asS to tho
petition account Of Its strength OF signatures, puo
Els reference for inquiry into the matter will result On
making moro trouble for Teal and the persons ASSN
ciated with him.
Tho incident above narrated recalls similar ono
that happened in this State. 1t was score Ut "o,o
years ago that application was received a' 'n0
Executive Climber at Albany for the pardon OF cor
Wet ono Of whose many aliases was 'aoh RAM
from Auburn Prison Jack had spent large poipon
~ his life IN enforced confinement and had we'll eanco
the reputation of being one Of the most desperate Va
unhung villains. His ill-fame was known 10 'no Wv
ernor and accordingly he opened the application ioi
cIsmcncy extremely dsincllned to interfere lie very
properly clt that would be crime against the pun
Ic blow at peace and good order to turn looSe ~
relentless foe Of society However, he also felt that
II was his duty 70 see on what grounds the application
was bssed Tho result was that on finishing the pa
pers ne rang for the pardon clerk and directed 'ha'
document should be prepared for HIS official signature
releasing Jack Flam The pardon clerk had also heard
Of jacks bad emincncc, being on excellent terms
with his chief, he turned to him and REMARKED Win
o face the picture Of amazcment:
"Is It possible Governor, that You are going u
pardon so notorious a character as FlamF
dyes" answered tho Governor, Win sn'iio
"That's what I'm going to do-unless you in'erP"so
your veto After you've made out the pardon giahco
your eye over the application and see II haven't done
as YOU will do in similar circumstances when you're
Governor
Tho pardon clerk promptly did as he was command
cd Having made out the pardon, he eagerly read
tho apple alton and when he got through he went IN
to the Governor, and said in an abashed way az no
laid down the pardon for signature: "fou couidn'
have donc anything else that's the most irrcsispie
apple alton for pardon that has ever met my eaze
The Governor smiled again. affixed his signature ana
the pardon was mailed TO Auburn. And yet NOBODY
had asked for the pardon OF Jack Flam except JACK
himself
But as the pardon clerk said It Irresistible
a,pc alton It bore the signature OF the warden, the
doctor and the chaplain Of the Prison They united
in testfyng that Flam's conduct during his ncacer
ton had been in all respects satisfactory, quito WIN
out rcproach that he was very sick man. worn 10
skeleton and sinking fast that he was the victim OF
an incurable disease. IT was physical impossioh'y
that he ever would be we'll again. the chances were
that he would die within month, ana u was 'hc
agonizing desire Of his venerable and heartoroheh
her abiding affection, outside tho prison walls The
Warden dwclt upon Flams fidelity and efficiency In
tho discharge OF his prison duties. The doctor ten'
onsraed that he could not possibly recover his hcah
The chaplain expressed his conviction that flam was
thoroughly ashamed OF his past and would die In inc
faith. Nor were these the only applicants Tor flahs
pardon Tho DistrictAttorney who had conVicteo
him was another He wrote that no was heartily I'D
favor of bis release holding that justice did not re
hat dyin
reors OF the law The foreman Of the jury that ound
FIam guilty also made eloquent appeal in behalf OF
the truly good dying feon quoting to the Governor
respectfully, bnt still with the words undcrscored'
"He shall have justice without mercy that showed
mercy
As soon as the mail train could carry II the pardon
reached Auburn Tho Warden was paralyzcd Jack
F1am hardened Great Scott What vas the
Governor thinking of However. there the pardon
was, duly signed and sealed. and Flam stepped out
Of prison free man Wasted to a skcleton' Hard
IT, Hc weighed two hundred pounds II he weighed
Hve The victim Of an ircurabe dsease1 Incur
able bosh-he was sound and as tough as hickory
sapng reformed mani Not to any extent that
tho chaplain could appreciate.
few weeks after Flam reg,net his liberty II
chanccd that the referred 10 came 70
Albany on business. His business transacted, lie found
he had hour at his disposal before would DC u"
for him to take the train for homo. Accordingly he
They were friends and had pleasant ci AS
the District Attorney to go he remarked:
governor, l surprised that so upright Chief
Magistrate should have pardonod consummate
rascal as Jack F1am."
"wel for cool impotence that beats anything
have heard' laughingly replied the Governor
After first beseechng to pardon FlaIn, you turn
around and upbraid for granting your request"
This led to an explanation. The District Attorney
assured the Governor no had signed application for
the pardon Of Flam. The dumtounded Governor rang
for the pardon clerk and when he appeared asked In
that the application for Jack Flam's
pardon should DO brought to him. Taking the papers,
the Governor hurriedly turned to OF the letters
and placing finger on tho signature attached to It,
he handed It tho District Attorney with the remark
sIsn't that your autograph
CHANGING at tho writing, tho District Attorney re-
Piled "No, that is not my autograph, but am
bound TO say it's excellent imitation Of it."
Tableau
madden man than that Governor never existed
rive minutes later the pardon clerk hurried to tho
telegraph office with dispatch, asking the authorities
Of Auburn Prison II they or any OF them had ever
signed application for The pardon OF JACK FIam-
The pardon clerk informed tho operator that tho Gov
srnor would take It as personal favor II he would
crush, It and request the Auburn operator to rush
the answer. The two dispatches were rushed' con
yequently in Of half hour the Governor was
Informed by telegraph that nobody connected with tho
Auburn Prison had ever asked. ever contemplated
asking for tho pardon OF Jack Flam. That was
ellncher The adrot convict had broken out OF An
burn not with . crowbar, but with pen lie had
released himself from prison on forged papers Tho
Governor looked the pardon clerk tho pardon clerk
Iooked at the Governor. Then . detective was sum-
monsd
II.
What had become Of the brilliant and audacious MI
F1am7 BY dint Of patient inquiry tho detective dis
covered not Flam, but the residence Of charmer to
whom Jack was accustomed to devote himself when
he was temporarily out Of prison. The charmer's
bower was in a back street in the lower part Of Al